


Truce

by Statementends (Blueberryshortcake)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Arguing, Jon wants to know what's happening, M/M, Martin wants to keep Jon safe, Minor canon divergence, Post episode 68, Pre-Relationship, Worry, late night in the archives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 07:44:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21133145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Statementends
Summary: Martin already knew who it was. Of course he did. He felt his hands starting to shake with adrenaline. He wasn’t sure if he was terrified or just angry.As he thought. There was Jon looking ragged and scared.“W-what were you doing down there?!” He demanded.“I saw the trapdoor open,” Sasha said, almost like she was reciting lines. “Jon got lost.”





	Truce

Martin frowned. The office was empty. It was late, it should be empty, but... 

He startled badly at the voices that echoed from below him. The trapdoor, it was open. Fuck! What was--

A head popped up and for a moment Martin didn’t recognise it in the shadows. 

“Sasha?” He blinked. 

Sasha climbed out of the hole, offered him a distant smile then bent back down to help someone else up. 

Martin already knew who it was. Of course he did. He felt his hands starting to shake with adrenaline. He wasn’t sure if he was terrified or just angry. 

As he thought. There was Jon looking ragged and scared. 

“W-what were you doing down there?!” He demanded. 

“I saw the trapdoor open,” Sasha said, almost like she was reciting lines. “Jon got lost.” 

Jon ran his fingers through his hair. He looked anywhere at Martin, clearly embarrassed.

Sasha looked between the two. Seemed to sense the tension.

“Well… I’m off then, goodnight.” She escaped seamlessly. Jon was still pinned by Martin’s gaze.

“What were you thinking!?” Martin sputtered. 

“What was I…?” Jon shuffled away from the trapdoor pushing it closed with his foot. “That’s not really your buisne--”

“Really?” Martin said flatly. “After how you’ve been behaving? You want to go with that, Jon?” 

Jon straightened himself up looking like he was trying to come off more intimidating. Usually it would have worked, but Martin was beyond done.

“That’s supposed to be locked,” Martin pointed at the trapdoor. 

“Elias gave me the key!”

“Elias gave you permission??” For--was he the only sane one left!? Was he the only one that cared about Jon’s wellbeing?! Elias was their employer. How many work safety procedures did this break? “Jon, it’s not safe, even if it didn’t potentially have killer worms. Sasha said you got lost!” 

“I’m fine!”

“And before Sasha found you??”

“It’s fi--it was fine--” He was lying.

“It’s not fine! It’s--it’s legitimately dangerous! You could get lost down there and not come back out! Jon--” Martin cut himself off. Jon was standing still and straight, eyes forward but… glassy, he looked brittle, tired. Like a stiff wind would shatter him. He was breathing soft and fast. 

Damn it. Martin mentally cursed. He went up to Jon and was startled when Jon flinched.

“Come on,” He said quietly. He slouched his shoulders a little more so he didn’t come off so big. “Let me get you s-some tea, alright?” 

Jon looked like he was about to try to fight, or snap, but instead he slumped. Martin carefully put a hand on his shoulder, when Jon didn’t push him away he guided him over to the old couch by the kettle that acted as the archive’s breakroom--more a corner really. He set Jon down and filled the kettle. 

“Were you hurt at all?” He asked quietly. He was still… he was still mad. Which… it didn’t make sense. What did he have to be mad about? He should be  _ relieved. _ Jon was safe. Nothing had happened. Nothing had happened.

Watching the kettle, dropping the teabags into mugs he steadied himself. 

“I’m alright,” Jon said. “I--I’m fine.”

“Yes, you keep saying that,” Martin said coldly. He poured the steaming water in taking a deep breath of steam. 

“I--?” Jon sounded confused. 

Martin winced. He was supposed to be comforting him, but he just--

He handed Jon the mug of tea. Jon took it obediently. He looked like his mind was somewhere else as he looked down into the cup.

“What was down there?” Martin prompted.

“It’s just… a maze… and darkness.” Jon finally looked up. “Are...are you alright?” 

“No.”

Jon seemed to startle at Martin’s admittance.

“I’m not fine! I’m tired of this. Ever since the--the attack. You, Tim… even Elias, you’re all--acting out, but you’re burying your heads in the sand at the same time. You can’t just--you can’t just throw yourself into danger! You can’t just--use your paranoia as an excuse to be out of control and horrible! You can’t just keep acting like no one cares what happens to you. I--I care what happens to you!” Martin’s face was hot and red, he was shaking again.

Jon looked positively terrified. 

“Y-y-y--” He didn’t seem to be able to finish his word much less his sentence. 

“I care about what happens to you,” Martin repeated. “I don’t--I almost--” Martin took a long breath. “You almost died.” He whispered.

Jon opened and closed his mouth. “I--I am well aware-- I’m… I’m trying to protect myself--”

“By going down into that tunnel, alone? Without telling anyone? You could have--”

“What? Told you?” Jon looked at him defiantly. Distrust strong in his trembling jaw. 

“Yes! Yes! I’m on your side, Jon! I know you’re afraid, I just don’t understand why--why are you afraid of  _ me _ ?”

“I--I’m not,” Jon said as if he only just realized it himself. “I’m not. I… I don’t think you… I can’t--I  _ can’t  _ trust them, but I just--” He rubbed his face with one hand, still holding his hot tea. “Gertrude was murdered.”

“What does that have to do you with you though? I--I just want to understand.” Martin felt the last of his anger collapse. He sat on the couch opposite Jon. They didn’t look at each other, but he felt better with Jon beside him.

“I--I there’s something malevolent here, that’s watching and it feels like it wants to swallow me up.” Jon took an absent sip of tea. “And… there’s just… I don’t feel safe here and I have to know what’s coming.” 

“What if nothing’s coming?” Martin said, maybe a tad desperately. “What if Prentiss was … bad luck and nothing else is coming? What if Gertrude was a sad coincidence?”

“Do you believe that?” Jon looked over to him. Martin met his eyes. Jon looked almost hopeful. 

Martin looked down.

“No, I don’t either.” Jon said. After a moment’s hesitation he put a hand over Martin’s. Martin jumped looking back at him. Jon awkwardly patted his hand.

“I’m… sorry. I haven’t been… good to you. You’re… you’re a frie--a good coworker and I haven’t been… I haven’t appreciated you… at all. I’ve been cruel. I’m sorry.” 

“That’s alright. It’s fine.”

“Was it?” Jon threw back at him.

Martin smiled. “Thank you for saying it, Jon.”

They sat in silence, sipping their tea. Martin reached over and tentatively took Jon’s hand. Jon didn’t pull it away. 

“Don’t go down there alone again?” Martin asked.

Jon, at least, didn’t lie to him. “I need to know.”

Martin sighed. Squeezed his hand. Wondered what this all meant. Wondered what shadows Jon saw behind him. Martin was afraid too of course. He was so afraid, but it wasn’t of a killer in the dark, it was of Jon not showing up to work one day.

He wouldn’t let it happen though. He wouldn’t let Jon disappear. 

“Then I need to know too,” Martin promised. “So please, when you can, let me help.”

“... I’ll try.” Jon said. He sighed. “I’m so tired. 

Tentatively Martin put an arm around Jon’s shoulder. Jon flopped against him leaning his head on his shoulder. “I’m really tired.” He repeated. Maybe as an explanation.

“Me too,” Martin closed his eyes feeling Jon’s weight against him. 

It felt like a truce, even though they weren’t really fighting. 

Well… maybe there was a fight underneath it all. Jon’s need to know against Martin’s need to protect him. 

And the tunnels. It was the last thing Martin wanted to take Jon. He had already failed him once down there, left him and Tim to the worms. He had seen the maze for himself. Had felt its oppressive pressure. No, he didn’t want Jon to disappear in there and never come out.

He wouldn’t let that happen. 


End file.
